Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-26
FATAL FLAMES.
OPERA coMIQuE OF PARIS BURNED
AND MANY LIVES LOST.
Nineteen Portions Dead and Many Others
Injured An Actrsss to Death
Details Of the Disaster.

PARIS. May 25.--The Opera Comique
took Ere this evening, and The whole build
ing Is now wrapped IN fiamest Fourteen
persons who jumped from the windows
are dead, and fOrty.ihree were injured. IL
IL probable that many were crushed to
death IN the galleries, but at present this l.
unceI tain.
The fre broke out during The first act OF
the opera OF "Miguon." One OF the wings
caught tire from gas-iet, and the entire
stage was Immediately enyeloped 10 ilame'
The fire soon spread to the whole house.
All the actors ran out In their stage cos.
TUNES. The audience got out easily, hut
ibe ggs was turned off before all had LEFT
The building. and IL Is feared that some
were len in the upper tiers. The roof soon
fell In, sending showers OF sparks as far as
the "Plnce de Ia Bourse."
With the exception OF Madame Seller.
who perished in the flames, all The actors
escaped. though several of the supernumerl-
ries were injured severely.
FULL PARTICULARS or TUE DISASTER.
Five Enthusiastically burned were conveyed
10 the National Library. Among them was
the boay OF woman clasping n little boy
In her arms. The money receipts were
saved and deposited in the Gaulois office.
The firfmen showed the greatest courage.
The Military Club rendered great assistance
IN the work OF rescuing the people from
the building.
Nineteen persons are now known 10 be
dead. Many OF these were supernumeraries.
An artificial fire apparatus which had been
placed i'm position IN readiness for the
burning Of the palace in the second act
rolled down from its place near the roo!
and exploded below. Tue women half clad
and carr wing their costumes fled from the
stage screaming. Some OF the chorus lled
with pothing on but tights.
The 1lmes spread with such rapidlty that
in fifteen minutes the stage was vast FUR
mace. several actors escaped by climbing
10 the ro3f on the side Of Rue MGriyanta.
where they were rescued by fre-escapes.
NJ. 1asquin implOred the audience TO re-
main sestcd until the exits were opened.
which they did. II they had made
rush for the doors the loss OF life would
have been terrible. The police outside
were unable to restrain the crowd VINO be-
sieged the building inquiring Tor friends
inside until military GORDON was formed.
One man who wanted TO rescue his brother
and sister raved aud tore bis hair, and me-
naced with stick the people who stopped
him from rushing into the blazing build
ing.
The scene outside was one Of the widest
excitement. Falling embers struck horses
IN surrounding streets, causing them to
plunge and rear. The flames shot out OF
every WINDOW, forcing the crowd into the
morrow streets, where the crush was ter
rife.
Inc director OF Soiea, with his wife aud
two children, escaped without injury.
The killed include four dremen. There
was not frantic rush in the theatre. but 1t
is believed that the staircase became
blocked.
a f9Wdnte says there were $50 persons
on tie stage when the ire broke out. she
heard gla>s falling like bail-storm. bar
told the Other girls not to mind II: bu
while she was speaking q column Of dam
burst thi ough the wings with a roar. aad
sll rushed pell.mell from the stage. M1nl
policemen were injured.
The iron curtain was lowered in front ~
the stage. and this prevented the fire from
spreading immcdiai,ly to the auditorium.
and allowed the audience time 10 escape.
The men no carried away the money chest
report tbat when they left the andlto -IG
was quite empty. Tae IRE brigade di,'in
guished themselves, and many Of them had
barrow esc9res.
IL Is still unknown bow many persons
were unable 10 escape from tue doomed
building. only fortnight ago VI. Steen.
ackers called attention in the Chamber OF
Deputies t. the dangerous condition OF the
Opera COm,1ue, which was the oldest In
Paris. The audience was delayed few
minutes by he dense smoke and insufficient
light.
Most OF the casualties 30 far reported
were due to nervousness and fright. Many
persons VITO were unable to trust them
selves 10 wrik on the narrow ledge OF the
corn ce round The building jumped oil
IN their tenor. One woman cOOlly walked
around the cOrnce while the flames we're
bursting alnye until she reached a fire.
escape. gbe victims were almost all
singers.
PARIS, Nav 2G.-The streets in the vi
entity Of tbc burned theatre were crowded
until an cary hour this morning. Mr.
Sewell, the solicitor Of the British Embas.
". said that The audience showed great
cnlmueSs when the alarm WIS given.
When the 2 : was eXtingushcd he CROPPED
his way 10 the balcony. and saw the people
~ the street laying straw mattresses to re-
cCiye The pfI,oos jumping from the win.
dGWS. He was ultimately rescued by the
iTCmen.
LONDON. May 90 Haua's News Agtncy,
Of Paris. places the numt or Of persons
kiiled and injured by the fire in the Opera
Comique hast night at sixty. The theatre
was completely destroyed.